Precious Memories
by GossInABox
Summary: [yaoi][SxR] Ritsuka thinks about life and Soubi while going through his precious memories.


Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over Loveless or any of its characters.

Warnings: None, except for yaoi I guess, but that's usually a given.

Summary: Ritsuka thinks about life and Soubi while going through his precious memories.

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Precious Memories

Three smiling faces grinned up at him.

Here was a photo of Ritsuka and Yuiko. Ritsuka was sulking, not having noticed the camera or Yuiko.

Next, Yuiko was promptly tackling him. Ritsuka cracked a rare smile at the photo, remembering the moment it had been taken. Soubi had captured a precious moment that belonged to Ritsuka and his very first friend.

Ritsuka sat on his bed, legs out-stretched; his tail curled lazily around one leg. A box sat between his legs, the lid thrown off. More faces could be seen staring up out of the box; all precious moments frozen in time.

He placed the photos he held back in to the box, having half a mind to end his reminiscing. Instead, he found himself ruffling through the box, taking only a moment to find the photo he was pulled towards.

Ritsuka felt his cheeks heat up as he looked at the photo. The Ritsuka in the photo was blushing furiously, eyes wide, with Soubi embracing him tightly. The man's face was so close to Ritsuka's own, whispering words of love and eternity in to the boy's ear.

Ritsuka had nearly exploded when he noticed Youji's wicked grin and the camera he held up.

The 13-year old closed his eyes, falling backwards on to the soft mattress, the photo clutched to his chest.

"Stupid Soubi," he muttered, not daring to show his confused and lonely eyes to the empty room. They had first met over a year ago and been through so much together. Soubi was still making promises he could not keep. He was only setting Ritsuka up to fall.

The boy wanted nothing more then to believe in Soubi's promises, but he had been betrayed again and again. Trusting was too difficult for the 13-year old, who never had anyone left to trust after Seimei had died. His father ignored him, his mother hated him, and he was not surrounded by loving friends.

Still, he could not deny that things had improved over the past year. He had formed a wonderful friendship with Yuiko, and a surprisingly strengthening one with Yayoi. He had never expected to gain the other boy's friendship, when Yuiko paid Ritsuka more attention then she did Yayoi.

Soubi had been entirely unexpected, and no matter how much he would deny it, he loved Soubi the most out of everybody in his life. He could never take Seimei's place, but he had somehow passed beyond that place when Ritsuka was not looking.

He finally cracked an eye open, yawning widely, as he looked over at the clock mounted on the wall. It was midnight now, and Ritsuka should have been asleep hours ago. Mother would have been happy though. The real Ritsuka stayed up late and slept in late whenever possible. That was the Ritsuka that was wanted by mother; not the fake that was sleeping in her house now.

Something, however, had changed in the past year. The thought of simply vanishing one day had never bothered Ritsuka. It would be for the best, because then his mother would never have to deal with this imposter anymore. Maybe she would have even been granted with the real Ritsuka.

Now, though, he found himself dreading the thought. His mother hated him, but he could live with it. He had Yuiko and Yayoi now. Ritsuka had Soubi. Soubi could make up for all the emptiness in Ritsuka's life.

_I want to be Soubi's Ritsuka…_ The boy was fast asleep before the thought even registered. He lay curled up atop his bedcovers, the box of photos pushed to the side and teetering precariously on the edge of the bed. The photo was still held in his hand, close to his face.

The boy never saw the curtains fluttering in the breeze, or the shadow that passed in to the room. He turned in to the touch that ghosted across his cheek, a small frown crossing his face as that touch vanished.

"Ritsuka, you're so cute," a voice whispered, his hand returning to the sleeping boy's cheek.

"Soubi…"

Soubi smiled.

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Author's Note: Well, I have no idea if I'll be continuing this or not. I wanted to write some Loveless fic ever since I was introduced to the series, but I just don't know where to go with it. So, I guess it'll remain a one-shot for now. ;;


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